Valley Zoo welcomes baby squirrel monkey

The Edmonton Valley Zoo has welcomed a new addition, a baby squirrel monkey. The baby was born February 1st.

The gender of the baby is still unknown, as zoo staff must wait until it gets independant enough to leave its mother before it can be examined. In the meantime the baby will ride on the back of its mother’s and the other female squirrel monkies at the zoo, who will act as the baby’s aunts.

“We prefer to let mom and baby stay together as they would in the wild,” Head zookeeper Sandy Helliker said.

“We’re keeping an eye on them both, and baby looks strong and healthy and is growing well.”

The unnamed addition joins sisters Keisha and Keeley in the zoo’s Saito Centre. The Valley Zoo’s squirrel monkies a part of a program created to nsure demographic and genetic health in the species.

Squirrel monkies are naturally found in forests of Central and South America. They live on average between nine and twenty years.

With files from The Edmonton Journal